To God's Beloved Children At Cloverdale Baptist Church:
Love: Something we talk about a lot, experience a little and long for more of. The Bible teaches that to experience God's love will fill the Christian to all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:14-21). To love others God's way can only come as we experience His love (1 John 4:19). Mark Jones has a great little book called, Faith, Hope and Love. In this book he quotes an early church father in showing that for the hypocrite the one thing that they have trouble faking is a God like love. They can go to church, tithe, spout a religious morality (usually with a wagging tongue and pointing finger) but they can't love the way that God desires. A love that is to be pursued above all (1 Peter 4:8), that we are to be known for (John 13:34-35) and even includes our enemies (Matthew 5:44) can only authentically come as an overflow of God's love for us. I suppose this is more of an opportunity to check our hearts, and engage in life with a Gospel centred love that can only come from Jesus. How are you doing in the love department?
Sadly many who call themselves Christians pursue the love of others, complain when we don't get it the way we want it, and love when it is convenient or self serving. May our God so overwhelm us with His love that this uniform that He has given us would dominate our church. In our church I see love at work and rejoice, and long for so much more.
Speaking of rejoicing, someone in our church family brought their friend to church and this week they trusted in Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Exciting, and an encouragement to us all to consider prayerfully how we can connect with our neighbours in a way that shows them the difference God has made in our lives. There have been so many lately and I believe as we depend fully on Him, engage in pursuit of His mission together this will increase!
I enjoyed the quick journey we took through Numbers and even more the many who confessed that this was a book that through the message has brought conviction and life change! May we continue to go to God's Word as a mirror and allow it to change our lives! May we be a people who are blessed by the positive lessons of this book: People Matter To God; God Is Holy & Wants To Be Known; The Gospel Is Central; and our destination is sure. The negative are convicting and many of you have shared, life changing for you and others that you spend time with: Murmuring; Opposed To Leadership; Grasshopper Complex; and Sin Infection. As we long for revival I believe if we take the positive and negative of this great book to heart we will be on the road. Stop the negative in your own life and others, grab and experience the positive, and our IMPACT will be growing!
Reminder: Prayer Opportunities: Sunday am: 10:00 behind the sanctuary; 7:00 am in the Library.
Reminder: Keep praying for our refugee family, God willing they will be arriving soon!
Reminder: Multiplication means each one reaches one, and that means YOU! Be praying about taking advantage of where God has placed you to share His light.
Reminder: We are prayerfully considering a missions trip to Egypt, if you believe this is something that God might be calling you to engage in, please contact Murray.
Reminder: Our Easter series will begin on March 11, 2018 and we again have wonderful books to help us apply it to our lives as a community of faith (thanks Elias, well done again).
Sunday Is Coming:
Please prayerfully prepare your heart for what God will be saying as we study His Word together!
It is communion Sunday, and Pastor Ray will be bringing as another great Old Testament story for life change!
Privileged to serve you as servant of the KING,
Pastor Rob